Allahabad, India, 4 September 2006: The National Centre of Experimental Mineralogy and Petrology (NCEMP), Allahabad University, will install a high precision GPS at Ghoorpur near Allahabad to record the movement of Indian lithosphere. The Department of Science and Technology (DST) has sanctioned Rs. 22 lakh (USD 47,491) for the five-year project undertaken by NCEMP.
“The new GPS data will be used to study more precisely, the relative motion between the Indian and Eurasian land-mass which has resulted in the gigantic Himalayan ranges running throughout the northern boundary of India, and causing some large earthquakes in the past few decades”, said Dr Abhishek Rai, Principal Investigator of the project.
Dr Rai said that the previous GPS measurements show that both India and Tibet are moving closer by around 20 millimetres every year. The new GPS is very sensitive and accurate and the data received from it will also help in future predictions. The instrument can measure slightest movement over the Earth’s surface, which was not observed by human body.
“The atmospheric water vapour present over Allahabad and adjoining areas will also be available through the GPS and the data will facilitate the agencies involved in long term and short term weather forecasting”, said Dr Rai. “The GPS will be moved from one place to other in the area to collect the data and a comparative study of the data will be done to arrive at any conclusion during the five years”, added Dr Rai.
